Fantasy Impact on the Kovy Signing
Posted 3:41 PM ET | Comments 22
First lets all take a deep breath and say "FINALLY". We have been waiting on Kovalchuck for 19 days and quite frankly getting a little tired of this saga.
With Kovy finally putting pen to paper in thr Swamp, this has already affected the fantasy hockey world. Had Kovy signed in Los Angelas as had been rumoured many times it could have been a fanatsy bonanza for may Kings players. For starters Kopitar would have had a phenominal season, not to mention the powerplay which would have included a much improved Drew Doughty.
But alas he returned to "trap central" to play in New Jersey. This however does not mean his production will dip. New Jersey is a team that plays it star players, and plays them alot. So when you are investing 100 million dollars he is going to play. Who knows maybe a full season in New Jesey makes him a more responsible player, which in turn would make hiom that much more valuable on draft day as his plus minus would take dramatic rise. In his 21 games he was a solid +9 pro rate that over a season and we are talking in the mid 20's . only once in his NHL career has he been a plus player, so by signing today, as crazy as it may sound considering the way the Devils play, this was actually a good fantasy move
With Kovy finally putting pen to paper in thr Swamp, this has already affected the fantasy hockey world. Had Kovy signed in Los Angelas as had been rumoured many times it could have been a fanatsy bonanza for may Kings players. For starters Kopitar would have had a phenominal season, not to mention the powerplay which would have included a much improved Drew Doughty.
But alas he returned to "trap central" to play in New Jersey. This however does not mean his production will dip. New Jersey is a team that plays it star players, and plays them alot. So when you are investing 100 million dollars he is going to play. Who knows maybe a full season in New Jesey makes him a more responsible player, which in turn would make hiom that much more valuable on draft day as his plus minus would take dramatic rise. In his 21 games he was a solid +9 pro rate that over a season and we are talking in the mid 20's . only once in his NHL career has he been a plus player, so by signing today, as crazy as it may sound considering the way the Devils play, this was actually a good fantasy move
devils dont play in the swamp anymore...its the ghetto now...thanks :)
Trade Kaberle to Dallas with Versteeg (Dallas wants/needs a right-handed forward) for Brad Richards and Jamie Benn (extremely talented, can play any forward position, size, skill, 22 goals as a rookie, led AHL playoffs in scoring - I think?) Richards no. 1 center, Bozak no.2
Trade Kessel to Los Angeles (may sound bad, but it makes sense) LA needs a sniper, lost out on Kovy, Kessel has tons of potential and is an exciting playerToronto gets Brayden Schenn (future all-star no.2 center like Mike Richards) and prospect Kyle Clifford (big winger with scoring potential) And a pick or two. Schenn is ready in a couple years and gets to play with his bro Luke.
This trade would only happen if Toronto wants a big time no.1 centerTrade Kulemin, picks, possibly Clifford, Hanson, or Caputi for C Joe Colborne6 ft 5 center topping out at 225 or 230, with toms of scoring upside. Currently at Denver college adding muscle and refining his game, a few years away, but is most likely a late-bloomer, Joe Thornton kind of player. A tower of power, if nothing else. Boston has way too many centers and Colborne is buried on their depth chart. Huge potential
Lastly, dump Grabovski to a team like Florida or the Isles for a couple picks. Or maybe Sutter in Calgary would want him.I doubt Burke would trade Kessel but that's the best option. He is not a franchise player. Better to build a solid team than build around Kessel.
Also, sign Ryan Johnson for about .8 mil, (4th line shot-blocker extraordinare), Eric Belanger for about 1.5 mil (solid 3rd line center, great on faceoffs) Aaron Asham for about 1.5 mil (big 3rd liner, decent depth scoring, fighting, hitting) and Max Afinigenov for about 2 or 3 mil (fast with good scoring ability). And dump Finger in the AHL.
Lines would be:Benn-Richards-AfinogenovKadri-Bozak-ArmstrongSjostrom-Belanger-AshamMitchell-Johnson-Brown/OrrPhaneuf-SchennGunner-KomiserakLebda-BeaucheminGustavssonGiguere... Or something like that
And for the record, Colby Armstrong can easily put up 50 points, he nearly did in ATLANTA two years ago, he hits hard, frees up space for smaller guys like Kadri, he has tons of energy, battles hard, goes to the net hard, he is a total winner with a great attitude.Get busy Burke, we want a Stanley Cup!
Tell me what you think.
the thought of losing kessel makes me sick. if seguin turns into a superstar and kessel puts up 50 gino's somewhere else I would start watching basketball
kessel's not going anywhere, benn won't go to leafs, armstrong is a nice pickup and i think he will get 50 points. i could see kulemin kaberle for a top 6 center. JOE THORNTON??????????
it would obvs. take more but do you think thornton will go
Thornton could go, although it's not like they're shopping him. They are stacked up the middle. They probably want a goalie, although I don't think they'd want Gustavsson, and then where does that leave the Leafs? But having Nittymaki and Greiss as your goaltenders on a "contending team don't think so. Maybe they'll take Giguere, Kabby, Kulemin, picks/prospects. I doubt it, but it sure would be nice.
I realize that Burke won't trade Kessel, but I don't think it's smart to build a team around a one-dimensional winger.
Dallas would give up Ben for a right handed forward or two. They have the following left-handed forwards: Richards, Morrow, Ribeiro, Eriksson, Neal, Ott, Brunnstrom, Wandell, and Benn. Their top nine forwards all shoot left. The best righty they have is Scott Glennie, but he's not ready. They're in financial trouble, so they just want to compete. Benn is the least far along in his development, so he becomes the most available trade bait.
Being in financial trouble, Dallas wants to get rid of Richards and his 7.8 mil salary for 1 year, and they need a defenseman, so Kabby and his reasonable salary are a good fit. So have Kabby, Versteeg and say, Hanson for Richards and Benn and my bet is that Dallas will jump on it.
If not Benn, they'd probably trade Neal (an RFA who nearly made Team Canada for the Olympics), or Loui Eriksson (36 goals two years ago, I don't know what he had last year)
If you don't do the Kessel Deal I said above (a little farfetched; wisful thinking from my perspective) then the forward lines are a bit better. Benn-Richards-Kessel Armstrong/FA signing-Bozak-Kadri The free agent signing could be Afinogenov, who would probably sign for one year to prove last year wasn't a fluke and get the long term deal he's not getting) and then Armstrong would be a top-level third-liner, but I would put him on the second line with Kadri personally.
At the very least, the Kaberle, Richards deal should happen (plus the Grabovski dumping).